


An Exception To The Rule

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Marauders' Era, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-09-26
Updated: 2009-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-19 23:32:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12420483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: A MWPP-era fic centered around the lives and love of Lily, James, and their best friends at the time of the rise of Voldemort.





	1. Chapter One: Say Yes

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

Disclaimer: This is not my world. I'm not pure genius, obviously, like JKR.  

 

Author's Note: Hello, again, everyone! I've been away for a while, but I'm back now. :] Here is a much-edited and hopefully much better version of my story, originally titled Better Days. Please enjoy, and reviews are appreciated! <3

 

**Chapter One**

_"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can- I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK."_

Despite the fact that she had said this over a year ago, Lily sighed loudly, ashamed that she had let her temper get the better of her. She hated how awkward things had been this past year at school, and she hated that seeing his face reminded her of her past mistakes. It was just so hard for her to keep control of herself when she got angry. It was even harder when she was angry with Potter, for some reason. The worst part was that she hated fighting. It sometimes made her quite literally sick to her stomach.   
There’s not much I can do about it now, she thought. Too much time has passed.    
    Lily lay back on her bed, looking out of her window at the full moon. She had always loved the way the moon glowed on nights like this, never dreaming that a dear friend was currently having an entirely different feeling about her beloved moon.

                        ~&~

"Remus? Hey, Remus, can you hear me?"

The sandy-haired boy groaned.

"Thank God, he's alive," another voice said.

"Of course he's alive, you dimwit. Can't you see him breathing?" Yet another voice drifted through the air.

"Shut it, both of you. Remus, mate, we're taking you to St. Mungo's. Last night's transformation was pretty rough. Don't worry; we'll make sure you see Healer Scott."

After hearing this, Remus passed from consciousness. He wouldn't know until later that his body was bruised and bleeding, and that his friends were so terrified when they first saw him that they could hardly speak. In fact, Remus wouldn't know much of anything for another day, as he wouldn't regain consciousness until then.

James, Peter, and Sirius sat outside of Remus' room, playing Exploding Snap to pass the time.

"I wonder what Healer Scott's doing in there," Sirius said. "It's taking a long time."

As if on cue, the young Healer came quietly into the hallway. The three boys sitting in the dingy hallway jumped up and stood rather uncomfortably.

"Is-is he-" James stammered.

 "He's going to be fine," Healer Scott said. "It's good you boys brought him here though, he's lost a lot of blood. If he had come half an hour later, it might've been too late." The Healer smiled at the teenagers who stood before him. He had known James since the boy had been young, as their parents were friends. When James and his friends had found out about Remus’ lycanthropy in their third year, they turned to Healer Scott. . He was the only one who knew they were illegal Animagi, and he never once thought of turning them in. Healer Scott knew what the boys' efforts meant to Remus. The Marauders were less of friends and more like brothers--brothers of the truest and most honest kind.

                        ~&~

Lily yawned and stretched her arms over her head. The sunlight streamed through her window, casting an ethereal glow across her wooden floorboards. She ran her fingers through her knotted red-auburn hair briefly and spun to put her bare feet on the floor. As she made her way down the stairs, Lily heard Petunia's caustic voice wafting up to the top of the house, contrasting her mother's soft lilting tones.

_Oh no_ , Lily thought. _Not this early, please, God._

 She padded down the stairs and into the small yellow kitchen, and found her mother and sister seated at the table, poring over catalogues.

 "Lily, dear, would you care for some eggs?" Rose Evans looked up at her youngest child. "There's some on the stove if you want them."

"Thanks Mum. Good morning, Petunia," Lily said, as civilly as possible, while she walked over to the stove. The older girl merely snorted.

"Pet, is that anyway to greet your sister who you haven't seen in months?" Rose said, scolding. Petunia looked at her messy-haired sibling and sneered, and turned back to her catalogue.

"I give up," Rose sighed. "It's no use to try to get you two to get along."

 "Mum, can I go on a walk today?" Lily asked, desperate to change the subject.

"Oh, Lily, I don't know. There are all kinds of strange things going on these days. Do you remember that woman who was killed two weeks ago? They don't even know how she died. No reasons why she died." Rose shook her head sadly. "Her poor children."

 "Mum, I'll bring my wand. I know how to take care of myself." Lily took a bite of her lukewarm eggs.

 "Well, I suppose so. Do you promise to bring your wand?"

 "Yes, Mum. I always carry it with me."

 Lily's parents knew very little about the war that had started, and Lily hadn’t the heart to tell them the awful details. What little her parents knew scared them, but they were always comforted by the presence of her wand.

Lily finished her eggs, zoning out and away from the quiet discussions of dresses, flowers, and cakes. She had had enough of Petunia's wedding, and it hadn't even happened yet. She shook her head a little to clear her mind, placed her dishes in the sink, and went upstairs to change.

   
Half an hour later, the petite redhead walked out of her blue front door and onto the street. This was her third day being home, though only the first that she had seen Petunia, as her sister lived with her atrocious fiancé, Vernon.

Lily wandered down the busy streets surrounding Spinner’s End. Cars drove by her as she slowly walked on towards the deserted park. Even though she and Severus hadn’t been friends in over a year, she still came here on the third day after school let out. It was their tradition, and Lily loved traditions. She loved knowing that she would always sit with Emmeline on the Hogwarts Express, she loved knowing that her mum would always serve pancakes on Christmas morning, and she loved going to the park on her third day home, with or without Sevvy. 

Lily idled over to the swing sets. This was where she had met Severus for the first and last time, and even after all the things between them, she couldn’t resist the pull of the rusty swings and the memories they held. 

"Lily? Lily Evans?" A deep voice called to her from the dark cluster of trees a hundred yards off. 

“Who’s there?” she replied, discreetly pulling her wand out from her pants pocket. Her heart was beating furiously. P _lease, please, don’t be Sevvy,_ she thought. _He wouldn’t do this to me, not here, of all places._

 "EXPELLIARMUS!" Lily's wand flew out of her hand to the stranger. "Exactly who I wanted to see." The black form came forward out of the shadows.

 

Author's Note: What did you think? Write it in a review. Now. Please? The quote from the beginning is directly from the book, ergo, not mine.  


	2. Say Yes

Chapter Two: Say Yes  
  
      Upon realizing who the dark figure was, Lily stood up, walked over, and grabbed her wand back.  
  
      Sirius Black was doubled over in laughter. Lily stood by, wand firmly grasped in her slender fingers, and cast a highly disapproving look towards the handsome teen.  
  
      “What are you doing here, Black?” she asked condescendingly.  
  
      “You—should—have seen—your face!” Sirius said between laughs, clutching his stomach.  
  
      “I’m sure it was fabulous. Now answer the question. What the hell are you doing here?” Lily put her right hand on her hip.  
  
        “I’m—not here—alone…Remus is…” –he guffawed- “over there…somewhere.” Sirius gestured vaguely, waving one finger towards Lily’s right.  
  
        The redhead whirled around, looking for her quiet friend. Nobody was there.  
  
        “Sirius, I am not in the mood for your sad little jokes. Honestly, what are you doing here?”  
  
        “Look—there…” he trailed off into another bout of his rather boisterous laughter.  
  
        Behind her, an invisible something was jumping up and down, flattening the grass and rustling the branches of the oak tree.  
  
        Sirius by this point was rolling on the ground in glee. His normally angular face was squished and red, as joyful tears ran down his cheeks.  
  
        Lily narrowed her eyes, rolled them in realization, and then waved her wand. Remus appeared before her. He looked horrible, cuts and bruises everywhere. He opened his mouth to talk, but nothing came out.  
  
        _Of course_ , thought Lily. _A silencing charm_. No wonder I couldn’t hear him. She quickly cast the counter-curse.  
  
        “—didn’t send us, we had to come and ask--”  
  
        Lily cut in. “Remus, what happened to you?” She moved to him, taking his arms and holding them out. She examined his horrendous gashes, which covered most of his forearm and a little of his upper arm. “What in heaven’s name have you done to yourself?” She looked into his blue-grey eyes, curiosity and revulsion mixed together in her own emerald ones.  
  
        “Oh—um…Sirius and I—we, uh…--”  
  
        “Let’s just say Remus had an incident with the Whomping Willow’s sister. God, you’re so nosy, Lily.” Sirius joined the conversation.  
  
        Lily released Remus’ arms. “I just happen to care what happens to my friends!” She said hotly. “Is that such a bad thing? Sorry, Black, if I care for people other than myself--” She took a deep breath, and realizing what she was doing, stopped herself. “Um…so what are you two doing here?”  
  
        Sirius gave her an appraising look, one eyebrow raised. “Well, we’ve come to ask a favor.”  
  
        “A favor? What kind of favor?” Lily asked.  
  
        “Before I start, Lily,” Remus said, “I want you to know that we were not sent by anyone. We came of our own will, and without Ja—someone’s blessing.”  
  
        “Alright.”  
  
        “We,” Remus said, with a glance at Sirius, “want to ask you to be nicer to James. Not necessarily his friend, but perhaps, a little less harsh?”  
  
        “Excuse me?” Lily blinked hard to make sure she wasn’t having a dream.  
  
          “Please, just think about it, Lily? I wouldn’t ask this of you except that this past year has been horrible for everyone he’s close to.  He’s been hitting himself over the head ever since--”  
  
          “The lake thing,” Lily cut in. Remus nodded.

      
    “He hasn’t stopped talking about how sorry he is all year. Quite frankly, we’re all sick of talking about what happened over and over. You don’t have to be friends or anything, just maybe say hey in the hallway, you know?” 

  
        Lily thought. For six years James Potter had bothered her. All the times she’d screamed at him, glared at him, and threatened his life had never made the slightest bit of a difference. If anything, it made him try harder. Maybe, just maybe, if he became a casual acquaintance, he’d realize that she didn’t like him. He was still an arse, that would probably never change. Just because he was a jerk didn’t mean that Lily had to sink to his level or fall for his paltry tricks. As a Prefect and as an obviously more mature person, she should turn the other cheek. Perhaps, through her example, he would learn how to behave like a normal person. Lily snorted to herself. James Potter, normal. That was funny.  
  
She turned to Remus, looking into his eyes. “Yes,” she said.  
  
“Oh come on, Lily, he’s really not that bad. It’s just you- you do something to him--” Remus cut an irate Sirius off.  
  
“Sirius, mate, she said yes,” Remus explained gently.  
  
“I know what she said—wait, what?” Sirius’ eyebrows furrowed in consternation.  
  
“She said yes.”  
  
Sirius kicked out one leg in the air while pulling a fist down in reply.  
  
“YES!” he exclaimed loudly, scooping Lily up in his arms like a baby and twirling around. She screamed, giggling. Abruptly, Sirius realized what he was doing and delicately placed her on the ground.   
  
“Well, um, Lily, thanks a lot, it’s time to go, Sirius,” he said, pulling Sirius away from Lily towards the woods where they had hidden their brooms.  
  
"Bye, Lilykins!" Sirius yelled, waving with his free hand as he mounted his broom. "Have I mentioned that I love you?"

Lily smiled and waved, laughing to herself as they flew off, now invisible. _Maybe they're right,_ she thought, _maybe I should put all that behind me._

And suddenly, Lily was struck by a brilliant idea.   



End file.
